Jr. High

So Winter started Jr. High this week, Sure makes you feel old to send your kid to Jr. High and the time goes by so fast,(I swear I am only 27). We are headed into uncharted waters. The highs and lows of teenage life. We say goodbye to the days of mommy knows everything and my mom is the smartest best ever, she can fix it all and we say hello to the days of my mom is so stupid, my parents are the worst ever, or Ugh your so ANNOYING. This has already started I took Winter shopping this week and she would ask for my opinion then not want it or say I was no help, or say "ugh your so ANNOYING". Where does the time go? Other moms ahead of me in parenting have warned me of the difficulties of Jr high, (sigh) but Winter loves school and is the most social person I have ever met and she seems to be a bit more mature for her age, so I am hoping that all of this will help us to not have quite as rough of a year than others before us.

in front of the apple tree

walking to meet her friends, do you love the super

heroes backpack?

She is such a weird and funny girl. We have our moments that we get along and I feel like she is able to talk to me about most things I hope we can keep this relationship as we enter into these crazy years. Good luck Winter!

advice needed asap

So I guess I spoke to soon on our good school days... Today Zar came home with a paper saying she got a think time, the paper said she wouldn't do her work in class and that after 50 min no work was completed so she got a think time..(sigh) when I asked her about it first she said she didn't know then she said she didn't do her work because she was trying to think of the letters for purple. I asked if she asked the teacher for help she said no she said the teacher doesn't help people. From my conversation with her I don't think she understands the think time thing.

I guess I should actually back up a little, on the first day of school first grade doesn't go they each get like a 15 min meeting with the teacher then they start the second day in this meeting I tried to explain to the teacher how we have an anxiety problem and have some things we are trying to work through and I told the teacher that I had a meeting with a Dr. the next day to start the process to deal with this, Well I was super emotional about this and cried (how embarrassing especially with my firm belief that tears show weakness.) anyway the teacher thought I was talking about myself for a minute (adding to the embarrassment) I thought I cleared it up now I am not so sure...
Mike and I went to see this Dr. and we went over Zarleys history and our history and everything anyway the Dr. definitely thinks there is anxiety there his concern was what is fueling the anxiety and he believes there is a possible learning disability that is fueling it (finally someone confirming my own beliefs instead of making me feel like her behavior is all my fault) anyway we decided the best form of action would to be a full evaluation as opposed to just treating anxiety well that appointment is set for Sept 9th.
So back to my problem already Zar has come home with work from school that was suppose to be done in school and she had to finish at home. A note has been sent home saying homework wont start til next week so it isn't homework and I have asked other moms and their kids aren't bringing home papers to finish. So back to today and the think time, What do I do? How do I approach this the right way with the teacher because to me it is clear she needs more help and I don't think the think times are the right approach but I don't want to attack the teacher. I do feel like she is going to be labeled the bad kid or get the feeling that she is bad and whatever. Trying to get her homework done tonight was not fun she didn't want to do it she scribbled all over the paper and said she wasn't doing the work or going to school and I feel like oh boy here we go again.
Well I hope this makes sense I feel like I was all over the place. So any advice on how to proceed would be much appreciated...

First day of school: Zarley

So I am happy to report that we had our first day of 1st grade and actually we have had a whole week now and no major meltdowns. A few minor meltdowns but nothing really Zarley worthy. She got up and dressed on her own almost the whole week. This week hasn't been quite as successful but still no major meltdowns. Wahoo! She is a funny little girl one night last week she told me "Well I thought I first grade was going to be really a lot of fun, turns out its not so much." She also told me she isn't sure she likes her teacher, there is something, she just isn't sure what it is that she doesn't like yet. She hasn't figured it out. In front of the apple tree a first day tradition

Here she is in front of the school standing in her

designated line.

Other good news, her and Winter have been getting a long so well lately she even let Winter help her while trying her on school clothes and She let Winter help her get ready on the first day.

And doesn't she rock those skinny jeans... You should see her butt, she looks so cute.... Whatcha gonna do with all that junk, all that junk inside those jeans?
I had much more emotions about first grade then I did kindergarten I blame my sister as she so nicely pointed out the day before school started, her life will never be the same. Its a full day of school, its not the 2 1/2 hours that kindergarten is then home to play like the kid you are no now it is all day for the next what 16 yrs (including college here) then you have to work. Now that is sad so all you first time kindergarten moms enjoy because next yr is when life really changes.

Whats better the 1 Lake Powell Trip?

White Family & Friends

Lake Powell 2010

By Mike

We made our annul pilgrimage to lake Powell last weekend. Wow what a place. It really it that happy place they tell you to think about when things are not going well. Due to some changes in my work responsibility's I have a little less flexibility with my hours. I got off work at 07:00 well kinda 07:00 more like 08:00. As I got home we put the finishing touches on the packing and I drove some to get us out of town until i started to get tired. Then i hopped into the back of the Excursion and get some Z's as Amber took over. Really the way to travel cause the next thing I know we are pulling into Page AZ. Meet up with everyone one and we were off to our spot. By the time we got there got unloaded and set up as storm rolled in (This will turn out to be a common theme. Once we weathered the storm I decided we needed to get something down for Dinner i BBQ'ed up some burgers in the Tornado/hurricane. We ate some dinner went up to get into bed. And i was so excited to use this new bed set we got for the trip. Minor problem. The sheets, blanket and pillows were missing one key thing. An air mattress. "Lame Sauce" So me and Amber and Winter toughed it out on the floor while the smaller kids got the air mattress's. Day two started like a typical Lake Powell day. Chased out of our tent bye the 100 degree temp inside the tent. Got some lake time in. And then the afternoon storm came in (See) and we all had to rush back and take down our tents until the weather pushed through. For the second night in a row we ate our dinners in our tent. The third day was nothing short of shit! We did not even move the boats out of the beach and just delt with the wind and rain. Until it was dark then we finally got to eat dinner with everyone else. As we talked about it myself and Tiffany had decided that Sunday would be recover day. We were going to hit it early and hit it hard. On the final day Winter wakes me up to tell me that Tiffany and Tom are going out. Recovery day so i had to pull up my boot straps and man up and get in the water early. But really what a good time. Myself, Tom and Tiff went out and had great water. Great turns and really was looking up. Great day finally on the last day. Perfect "Lake Powell weather" And the people that left the night before missed out on the best day. Below are some of the pics from the trip.

Me and the boys looking like bad ass'es

Winter Wake boarding. Winter really set her

mind to it and got up on her first turn and

really did amazing

Zar - Zar riding shoot gun on the Tube

Lake Powell tradition to bury someone. Winter

Xav'ey James gettin his eat on

Weather sucked but Lake Powell is lake powell and i would much rather be stuck there on a rainy sandy beach then here at my desk. Got to love Powell cant't wait to get back with my parents.